Benelux Collection for Jamaica
From Europe to Jamaica in solidarity.
Supplies received from the Amsterdam collection Hub in the Netherlands.
Collective action across borders in response to crisis
In response to Hurricane Melissa, a group of Jamaican-led businesses, cultural practitioners, and community organisers across the Benelux region came together to coordinate the collection of funds and essential goods for Jamaica.
This collaboration included Karla King-founder of the Ackee Seed Foundation, Jerk Bay, Reggae Rita’s, Pretty Patty, and Empower JA, alongside other Jamaican-led entities, working in connection with the Belgian-Jamaican Consulate and Ambassadorial network.
How the Collaboration Took Shape
Through collective planning, a decentralized hub system was established to allow communities to contribute locally while supporting a shared relief effort.
Collection hubs were mobilized across:
The Netherlands: Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Den Haag
Belgium: Antwerp
These hubs supported the collection of essential relief goods intended for shipment to Jamaica, in accordance with the official list of disaster relief items.
The initiative reflects the strength of diaspora-led coordination and the ability of community networks to respond rapidly across borders.
Current Status
Funds and goods have been collected across multiple locations
Coordination between hubs has been established
Logistics for shipment and distribution to Jamaica are still in development
Further updates will be shared once timelines and processes are confirmed.
Together with the Diaspora
In November, Ackee Seed Foundation and the Art of Returning fundraiser were acknowledged during a JA.com Live broadcast by Dr Ethel Rose de Vrieze-McBean, the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council Representative Europe, highlighting the range of diaspora-led initiatives supporting Jamaica in the wake of Hurricane Melissa. A reflection of the growing visibility of community-driven responses emerging across Europe and the United Kingdom.
This collaboration demonstrates how diaspora organizing, cultural leadership, and institutional coordination can intersect in moments of crisis.
Ackee Seed Foundation remains committed to transparency and will continue to provide updates as this initiative progresses.
